$18 mug

updated thu 6 may 99

Berry Silverman on mon 3 may 99

We make a slipcast mug with quite a lot of
hand-painted decoration on it (not dipped or splashed)
for $9 wholesale. That becomes at least $18 retail,
more often closer to $20 when retailers add in
shipping. We sell lots and lots of them, so somebody
is paying $20 for mugs. And there isn't much profit
on a $9 wholesale price, but we make them in order to
have a good mix in the line, so we can sell the larger
pieces where the profit is greatest. I resisted
making mugs for a long time since they were so much
work for so little profit, but buyers kept asking for
the smaller pieces, too. And now that we have a mix
of all sizes, buyers purchase more of the line in
general -- including the higher profit items.

Elias Portor on tue 4 may 99

Absolutely, I do the same with the same type of mug. I have found that
people are looking for the art work and when they find something they really
like and can't come up with the bucks for the big stuff they can always
afford something like a mug or trivet that is priceless to them. eportor

Berry Silverman wrote:

> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> We make a slipcast mug with quite a lot of
> hand-painted decoration on it (not dipped or splashed)
> for $9 wholesale. That becomes at least $18 retail,
> more often closer to $20 when retailers add in
> shipping. We sell lots and lots of them, so somebody
> is paying $20 for mugs. And there isn't much profit
> on a $9 wholesale price, but we make them in order to
> have a good mix in the line, so we can sell the larger
> pieces where the profit is greatest. I resisted
> making mugs for a long time since they were so much
> work for so little profit, but buyers kept asking for
> the smaller pieces, too. And now that we have a mix
> of all sizes, buyers purchase more of the line in
> general -- including the higher profit items.
>
> ===
> Berry Silverman,
> Berryware, Tucson, Arizona
> berrysilverman@yahoo.com
> _________________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com

Dwiggins, Sandra (NCI) on tue 4 may 99

This afternoon I visited a relatively new craft gallery in on of our local
high-end malls. The clay work ran the gamut from lace doiley(sp) imprints on
white clay with a white glaze for $60(talk about over-priced!) and slipcast
mugs($20), bowls, pitchers,etc. that were clearly being sold as handthrown to
some gorgeous orbs by our own Don Jones. Don's pieces were too well done to be
in that shop, frankly, and clearly stood out as quality pieces. There were NO
mugs for under $20. And there were even clearly mass-produced white mugs with
black dots and badly done little animals on the inside for $20. Those looked
like they had been done off-shore and then sold by a rep. company.

Another shop owner told me that she couldn't sell a mug for under $20. Maybe
that's the price for craft galleries.

I did get a bit annoyed at the slipcast mugs and pitchers. They looked like
they had come out of the Sundance catalog actually and it would be difficult for
anyone who isn't knowledgeable to tell that they were slipcast.
Sandy

We make a slipcast mug with quite a lot of
hand-painted decoration on it (not dipped or splashed)
for $9 wholesale. That becomes at least $18 retail,
more often closer to $20 when retailers add in
shipping. We sell lots and lots of them, so somebody
is paying $20 for mugs. And there isn't much profit
on a $9 wholesale price, but we make them in order to
have a good mix in the line, so we can sell the larger
pieces where the profit is greatest. I resisted
making mugs for a long time since they were so much
work for so little profit, but buyers kept asking for
the smaller pieces, too. And now that we have a mix
of all sizes, buyers purchase more of the line in
general -- including the higher profit items.

Philip Schroeder on wed 5 may 99

In a message dated 99-05-04 17:13:21 EDT, you write:

<< I did get a bit annoyed at the slipcast mugs and pitchers. They looked
like
they had come out of the Sundance catalog actually and it would be difficult
for
anyone who isn't knowledgeable to tell that they were slipcast. >>

The thrust of this thread reaffirms my belief that the responsibility for
educating the public about the different kinds/ processes/ quality of clay
work rests with us clay makers. If not us, then who? I always try to
channel my disgruntlement into something educational and productive whether
it be with someone asking "a dumb question" and art fair or elsewhere. A
gallery owner and most probably their sales staff often don't know diddly-do
about clay or any other media. An informed consummer is our best friend.
Phil